cryinoutloud:Eegah: That about sums it up for me (although I found a great gal).I've heard the "selfish" accusation before. I've never understood how it's selfish to not bring more children into an already overpopulated world.

It's selfish if your reason for not having kids is so that you can have more money. Unless you're dirt poor, that is a selfish reason.

But if you'd rather have money than anything else, just as well you don't have any kids anyway. Try to keep it that way.

It's selfish of you to decide what actions would be selfish of another person to take.

I have a son, and a cupcake. Thanks though. Im mostly referring to peoples inability to just accept other peoples decisions without having to critique and make judgements. But I do love me some good e-drama. Please continue.

drjekel_mrhyde:I have one kid and do not plan on having more./What do I get?

The same thing the rest of us get. That "but s/he needs a brother/sister" bs from parents, family, and friends. Especially if you were a single parent who's now in a happy stable relationship. Doesn't matter if your partner has had a vasectomy or you are really happy with just one child. No, no YOU NEED MORE!!!!

I've never had a desire to breed or parent anyone. If you're happy being a parent, good on ya. But when I mention that I don't have kids, do NOT take that as a sign that I'm anxious to hear you talk about yours for hours on end. In addition to boring the hell out of me ("Oh, you're a dog person? Well, let me tell you about my cats!"), it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that you're happy to be a parent.

sabbacca:I have a son, and a cupcake. Thanks though. Im mostly referring to peoples inability to just accept other peoples decisions without having to critique and make judgements. But I do love me some good e-drama. Please continue.

publikenemy:I really hate threads like this. If you have no kids you assume that is best. Yet if you do have children, you assume that is best. To each his own. What I hate however is when people have snarky comments and tell those with children how annoying they are and how much better off they are for not having them.

Children are fking great thanks for asking. They are a pain sometimes, as is any living creature you have to take care of. The payoff however, is simply awesome.

Because I think the planet would be better off at five or even three billion, the "quality" argument doesn't wash with me. We stopped at one because we didn't want to be part of a bigger problem than "lifestyle choices".

I will always therefore support the decision of childless couples to remain so, not only because they would probably make bitter, unhappy parents, but also because demographics predict I should front-load my portfolio into end-of-life care industries and direct my son toward the trades.

A job for life isn't happening today, but you can bet it'll be happening in the future when so many wealthy old farts are confronted with an insufficient number of young workers.

All my childhood I pictured myself with kids. Got married to have kids (not for love) Had two sons. We divorced when they were 5 and 7 years old. I remarried and got divorced again.... Primarily because of who my two sons got along my new wife (their step-mom) I am now single, lonely and broken. I haven't seen my boys in over a year. Their mother has done her best to trash me to them... I barely can function. The grief over how much I have farked up my life is soul crushing...

it had nothing to do with the alcoholism....nothing at all...On the bright side....there is no bright side.

Very funny and yes, there are days like this. I have a younger sister with older kids, however. I got a lot of warning. And they are excellent young men now. If she died, I would adopt them as sons, although that's strictly speaking, not necessary.

I believe that forcing someone to have a life isn't fair to the one being born. It should be optional or not happen.

If two people want to have a child, they should ask the preconceived entity if he/she wants to be born into a futile existence with the constant knowledge of his/her future expiration and if that entity specifically says "Yes" then and only then, should he/she be conceived and born.

In other words, never.

It isn't right. And one day when we see ourselves with ALS, cancer, pain, suffering, staring at the grave, and know that our children will also experience that same suffering, it'll make sense to us.

BlousyBrown:There are a lot of people who should not have children, and I'm one of those people. I recognize that.I've been so lucky to find a great guy who doesn't want them either. I don't think it's selfish to not havechildren, for me it's just the responsible choice.

As a parent, I not only agree, but would say that having children is the selfish act. Passing on one's DNA is one of the most primitive, self-serving acts that one can partake in. Anyone who tries to suggest otherwise is kidding themselves.

Smarshmallow:BlousyBrown: There are a lot of people who should not have children, and I'm one of those people. I recognize that.I've been so lucky to find a great guy who doesn't want them either. I don't think it's selfish to not havechildren, for me it's just the responsible choice.

As a parent, I not only agree, but would say that having children is the selfish act. Passing on one's DNA is one of the most primitive, self-serving acts that one can partake in. Anyone who tries to suggest otherwise is kidding themselves.

I love my kid and can't wait to meet #2 that's on the way... but I couldn't agree more with both of you.

43, been with my wife for 20 years, no kids by choice. I'm not going to re-re-re-repeat the pros and cons in this thread.

However, I do find it interesting that among my RL peers, this makes me very rare. I not sure I know any other couples who still have no kids at my age. Among Farkers, on the other hand, there seems to be quite a decent percentage who have chosen not to have children. Interesting...

The rest of my family reproduced early and often. The rest of my family is also alpha foxtrot uniform and I decided that I at least could take responsibility for not spreading the genes any further, even if that was closing the barn door after the horses flew the coop.

Not particularly interested in marriage either.

Who will take care of me when I'm old? I'll either be able to afford an excellent long term care plan, or Mr. Glock will assist me. Having children is no guarantee you'll be taken care of, they could be complete fark-ups. Your spouse could die first.

If you want to do the societally expected thing and that works for you, excellent. Some of us just have no business there.

/the gatherings of single childless friends that occasionally turn into piles of freaky sex don't hurt either

branchtroy:All my childhood I pictured myself with kids. Got married to have kids (not for love) Had two sons. We divorced when they were 5 and 7 years old. I remarried and got divorced again.... Primarily because of who my two sons got along my new wife (their step-mom) I am now single, lonely and broken. I haven't seen my boys in over a year. Their mother has done her best to trash me to them... I barely can function. The grief over how much I have farked up my life is soul crushing...[encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com image 240x177]it had nothing to do with the alcoholism....nothing at all...On the bright side....there is no bright side.

Wow. That's a horrible tale. I hope things get better for you branchtroy